What does the future hold for Paul the psychic octopus?

What does the future hold for Paul the psychic octopus? -- The owner of Paul the psychic octopus said Monday it was considering several offers of work following the animal's stunning success at correctly predicting the results of eight World Cup matches.

Sea Life, which operates 32 aquariums across Europe, said it hoped to make an announcement on Tuesday about Paul's future. However spokesman Mark Oakley stressed that the mystic mollusc would certainly be staying in his tank in Germany.

"We've been inundated with offers -- from a betting conglomerate that wants to use him to predict sporting events to a Japanese fortune telling company that wants to use his image on the sides of booths," Oakley told CNN. "There have also been many offers from media worldwide for Paul's life story.

Octopus power too good to be true?

"We'll be holding a meeting to discuss the offers and hope to make an announcement on Tuesday morning. The priority though is to guarantee that Paul does not suffer, and he won't be leaving his tank at Oberhausen. There's no intention of moving him."

The two-year-old octopus, who was born in England, has begun to enjoy the spotlight during the tournament, Oakley said. "Paul's become a global celebrity. He's not been shy about making predictions, but success hasn't changed him."

Paul predicted Spain would win Sunday's final against the Netherlands and that Germany would beat Uruguay in the playoffs.

Before that he correctly predicted the winners in all six of the German national team's matches.

During each prediction, two mussel-filled acrylic boxes labeled with a team's flag are lowered into his tank. Whichever box he chose conveyed the winning team.

The eight-tentacled oracle was relatively consistent, plopping himself over the German box in his first few predictions.

But he drew cries of despair from assembled watchers before the semifinal round, when he lingered over the box for the German flag before opting for the Spanish flag instead. Spain won the match 1-0.

Bitter German fans later threatened to turn him into sushi, and Sea Life in Oberhausen received death-threat emails, saying, "We want Paul for the pan," said entertainment supervisor Daniel Fey.

But after Spain's triumph in Sunday's final the country's Prime Minister Jose Luiz Rodriguez Zapatero called for octopus bodyguards.

Spanish Industry Minister Miguel Sebastian also called for the creature to be given an "immediate" free transfer to Spain to "ensure his protection," according to Agence France-Presse. ( cnn.com )